George Mason University Home About ESP College of Science About Mason

undergraduate Programs

B.S. in Biology, Environmental and Conservation Biology Concentration

The B.S. in Biology, Environmental and Conservation Biology Concentration is offered to students seeking a biology degree that focuses on ecology and organismal biology. The degree prepares students for graduate work or employment in environmental and conservation fields such as natural resources management, fisheries, forestry, water quality management, aquatic and wetland ecology, and conservation biology. In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements for the BS degree, students wishing to credentials in the Environmental and Conservation Biology Concentration must complete the following.

Degree Requirements

Through the course work below, satisfies the Mason's general education requirements in natural science, quantitative reasoning, and information technology proficiency.

  • 25 credits in biology including: BIOL 213 (cell biology), 303 (animal biology), 304 (plant biology), 305 (biology of microorganisms), 306 (microorganisms lab), 307 (ecology), 311 (general genetics), 492 (senior seminar) [or 494 (honors seminar in biology)]
  • 19 credits in environmental and conservation biology including BIOL/EVPP 377 (applied ecology), 471 (evolution), EVPP 318 (conservation biology), a field course [either EVPP 350 (freshwater ecosystems) or BIOL 345 (plant communities)], and other courses chosen from:

BIOL 309 (oceanography), 326 (animal physiology), 331 (invertebrate zoology), 332 (insect biology), 333 (vertebrate zoology), 342 (plant morphology), 344 (taxonomy of flowering plants), 345* (plant communities), 440 (field biology), 472 (animal behavior), 449 (marine ecology); EVPP 350* (freshwater ecosystems), 415, 451 (fungi & ecosystems); NCLC 401 (conservation biology)

* If not used for field course requirement.

  • 13 credits of chemistry including CHEM 211, 212, 313, 315

One of the following options:

  • CHEM 314 and 318 (5 credits)
  • One chemistry course at the 300 or 400 level (3 credits)
  • GEOL 101 and 102 (8 credits)
  • 8 credits of physics: PHYS 243, 244, 245, 246
  • At least 6 credits from the following: MATH 110, 111, 113, 114, STAT 250
  • 3 credits of computer skills: IT 103

Download the requirements checklist (.pdf)
Advising sheets (.doc)